Golf Glove with a Compartment

ABSTRACT

A combination golf glove and container, with a hinged lid, that allows a golfer to carry and access agents such as lip balm, lotion, or grip enhancing material while playing a round of golf In one embodiment, the hinged lid of the container has a ball marker holder for detachably securing a ball marker of ferromagnetic material to a magnet embedded within a holder.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to golf gloves, and morespecifically, to golf gloves with a compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golfers have long been faced with the difficulties of transporting smallpersonal items containing lip balm, lotions, sun screens, grip enhancingmaterial, etc., hereinafter called “agents,” around the links andkeeping them conveniently at hand while leaving their hands free to playthe game. Although the golf bag generally used to transport the clubsincludes pockets in which small personal items may be stored andtransported, such pockets are not well suited for providing easy accessto small personal items. Use of pockets in the golfer's clothing issimilarly unsatisfactory. Small personal items stored in the shirtpockets may fall out and be lost when the player bends to tee up orplace a marker. Quite often, small personal items are carried in aplayer's trouser pocket, and the player is thus forced to dig and fumblethrough the contents of the pocket in order to retrieve it.Additionally, women's golf attires typically do not include pockets.Thus, the retrieval of small personal items for use thereby creates asource of annoyance and distraction to the golfer.

Systems for enhancing the convenience of access to small personal itemshave been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,530 discloses adevice to be worn on a golfer's waist for organizing and holding golfaccessories. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,305,999, 5,898,946, and 6,163,889 disclosemetal ball markers held in place by virtue of magnetic attraction.

Commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,513,165 and 6,820,282, which areincorporated in their entirety by reference herein, disclose a golfglove with a magnet holding a ball marker. The magnet is held in placeby a retaining wall that is partially cut-out to allow the ball markerto be able to easily slide out of the holder. However, these patents donot disclose a golf glove that has a compartment to hold items such asagents.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device that holds agents and ballmarkers that would be simple to use, inexpensive, and which would notnecessarily constitute an item of apparel in addition to that normallyworn by golfers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a glove comprising a container witha hinged lid. The container is used to carry agents such as lip balm,skin lotion, sun screen, and grip enhancing material.

The present invention is further directed to a ball marker holdercomprised within the hinged lid of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the present invention may be more fullyunderstood with reference to, but not limited by, the followingdrawings.

FIG. 1 is a back view of a golf glove and container mounted on theglove.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the hook and loop fastening system on theglove.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an agent container attached tothe glove.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the agent container with a ballmarker holder attached to the glove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown generally in FIGS. 1-2 where like numbers designate like parts,reference numeral 10 designates a golf glove of the type often worn bygolfers to ensure a firm grip on a club handle. Like conventional golfgloves, the glove 10 includes fingers 12, a thumb 14, a body 16, andclosure assembly 18. Glove 10 can also be a ½ and ¾ fingered glove. Forthe present invention container 20 is attached to closure assembly 18.Preferably, container 20 carries agents, such as grip enhancingmaterials as well as lip balm, skin lotion, and sun screen to remedy drylips and skin caused by exposure to the sun and wind at the golfcourses. Container 20 may have a logo, either custom or stock, affixedto its top, as shown in FIG. 1.

In more detail, glove 10 is of flexible construction, preferablycomprising leather, or synthetic leather including but not limited topolyurethane leather (e.g., polyurethane coated nylon), or nonwovenmaterial, and is perforated with ventilation holes 22 on the backsurface of fingers 12. Glove body 16 includes a front surface (notshown), and a dorsal, back surface 24 which is divided by an opening 26into a lateral portion 28 adjacent the thumb 14 and a medial portion 30.

Glove closure assembly 18 includes a generally rectangular or oval areaof fabric loop fastener material 32, attached to lateral back surface 28by a row of marginal stitching. A generally rectangular or oval flap 34is coupled with medial portion 30 so as to overlie fastener material 32in mating engagement when in the closed position. Flap 34 includes aninner surface 36 of fabric loop fastener material and an outer surface38 joined by stitching. The fabric hook and loop closure system isconventional, and need not be described in great detail. In oneembodiment, the hook and loop material is reversed. In otherembodiments, snaps, buttons, or any other suitable closure devices maybe substituted for fabric loop fastener material or hook and loopfasteners in closure assembly 18.

Container 20, as shown in FIGS. 3-4, can hold agents. Container 20includes a first retaining wall 40, closed at a bottom end 42, and ahinged lid 44. A hinge 46 connects the hinged lid 44 to the firstretaining wall 40. The hinged lid 44 has a grip edge 48. Container 20can have any shape, including circular, polygonal, elliptical, etc. Gripedge 48 is provided to assist with opening and closing of container 20.Optionally lid 44 is biased to the closed position, e.g., adding atorsional spring at hinge 46.

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4,hinged lid 44 may comprise a ball maker holder 50. A generally flatmagnet 52 is located within the ball marker holder 50. The ball markerholder 50 includes a second retaining wall 54 with a base portion 56,while having an opening at the second top end 58. The base portion 56has a first aperture 60 defined therein for placement of magnet 52. Themagnet 52 is designed with a size and configuration to be receivedwithin the first aperture 60. Magnet 52, upon being seated in the firstaperture 60, may be held in place by press-fitting, glue, tape, adhesiveetc.

A ball marker 62 can be made from a multitude of materials, but at leastone surface is of a ferrous metal having a magnetic attraction. Ballmarker 62 is of a size and shape that it may be placed within secondretaining wall 54, with one surface juxtaposed against the magnet 52 andfirmly held by the embedded magnet 52 until dislodged by the golfer. Apart of the base portion 56 is removed to create a second aperture 64.The user only has to depress the rim of ball marker 62, i.e. the sectionabove the second aperture 66, into second aperture 66. This action urgesball marker 62 to flip up and slide out of the ball marker holder 20,where it may easily be removed with the use of only one hand. It ispreferred that the ball marker 62 is positioned flush with the top ofsecond retaining wall 54.

The outer surface of hinged lid 44 or ball marker 62 may display a logo,insignia, or other personalized embellishments.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present inventionhave been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited tothe specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. Anexample may be wherein the materials of the ball marker 64 and themagnet 52 are reversed, i.e. the ball marker 62 is made of magneticmaterial and the magnet 52 is of a ferrous type material. This inventionis also not to be limited to the specifically preferred embodimentsdepicted therein.

1. A golf glove comprising: fingers, a thumb, a back surface divided byan opening into a lateral portion adjacent to the thumb and a medialportion, a closure assembly attached to the lateral portion and themedial portion, the closure assembly includes an inner surface and anouter surface when closed; and a container disposed thereon.
 2. The golfglove of claim 1, wherein the container contains an agent.
 3. The golfglove of claim 2, wherein the agent is a lip balm, skin lotion, or sunscreen.
 4. The golf glove of claim 2, wherein the agent is a gripenhancing material.
 5. The golf glove according to claim 2, wherein thecontainer comprises a first retaining wall extending around at least asubstantial portion of the agent, and a hinged lid comprising anoptional grip edge, a hinge connecting the hinged lid to the firstretaining wall, and an optional logo on the outer surface of the hingedlid.
 6. The golf glove according to claim 5, wherein the hinged lid ofthe container further comprises a ball marker holder comprising a ballmarker, a second retaining wall extending around at least a substantialportion of the ball marker and a cutout section defined by removal ofpart of the second retaining wall, a base portion within the secondretaining wall, the base portion having a first aperture definedtherein, and a magnet for magnetically holding the ball marker and themagnet of a size and shape configured to be received within the firstaperture.
 7. The golf glove container according to claim 6, wherein thebase portion of the ball marker holder includes a second aperturelocated proximate to the cutout section.
 8. The golf glove according toclaim 6, wherein the height of the second retaining wall at the cutoutsection is approximately level with the top surfaces of the base portionand the magnet.
 9. The golf glove of claim 5, wherein the hinged lid isbiased to a closed position.